One rear-drive coupe with over 500 horsepower would be enough for most automakers. But not General Motors. The biggest of the Detroit automakers just couldn't get by with what some rivals would put on a showroom turntable with more flood-lights than an ATF raid. That's why it makes the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and ZR1, the Camaro ZL1 and the Cadillac CTS-V. (And that's before we get into overseas products like the Holden Commodore GTS/Vauxhall VXR8.)
The question is, which one is best for burnouts? To bring us one step closer to the answer we all crave, our compatriots over at Inside Line took two such 500+hp GM super-coupes - the Z06 Centennial Edition and the CTS-V Coupe - down to the Streets of Willow for the fifth installment of their Burnout Super Test.
We record Episode #266 of the Autoblog Podcast tonight, and you can drop us your questions via our Q&A module below. Check out our discussion topics or chime in to help determine what else the crew chats about this evening. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.
Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #266
Earlier this week we showed you the recently-unveiled 2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427 Convertible at Barrett-Jackson. Chevrolet didn't just bring the car to display, though, and announced that it would be auctioning the very first production example for charity.
There was plenty of excitement as the Corvette was brought up on the auction block, and bidding quickly skyrocketed past the six-figure mark. During the middle of the auction, a few extra goodies were thrown in, including a Jeff Gordon racing suit and a VIP trip to the 2012 Daytona 500, and soon thereafter bidding quickly went passed the half-million-dollar mark to finally rest at $600,000. The new owner of the car? Ron Pratte, the same man who has generously bought many previous charity auction cars at Barrett-Jackson over the last several years. To top it all off, Eddie Vannoy even added on another $100,000 donation to the price of the car, all of which will be going to benefit the AARP Drive For Hunger.
You can see our live photos of the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427 Convertible in the gallery above, and see footage from the auction floor after the break.
Last week, Chevrolet announced its latest special edition Corvette, the 2013 427 Convertible, as a sendoff to the C6 before the C7 arrives for 2014. Now we've had our first look at the car in the flesh, as Chevrolet is showing it off for the first time here at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale, AZ.
Setting the 427 Convertible apart from the standard Corvette are special graphics, badges and unique wheels, but most importantly, it gains the Z06's 7.0-liter 505 horsepower V8 under the hood, making it the most powerful drop top Corvette to ever come from Bowling Green. This example also sports the 60th Anniversary Package that includes Arctic White exterior paint, Pearl Silver Blue racing stripes and a Diamond Blue leather interior. What really makes this particular car special, though, is that it's the very first production Corvette 427 Convertible and is set to be auctioned off for charity tomorrow afternoon. We'll have live auction results and more pictures then, but for now, check out our live gallery of photos above.
The Corvette is the very definition of a halo car, and the fact that 2013 marks its sixtieth year in production is nothing short of a miracle. The seventh-generation Corvette is still a model year away, during which time Chevy plans to send off the C6 with a special edition 60th Anniversary 427 Convertible.
Development of the C7, however, continues at full speed, and we have the very first shots of a prototype being tested in cold weather to prove it. The car in question is wrapped in vinyl covering, underneath which hides the familiar black-and-white swirl paint job we see so often on prototypes. Even still, we can identify some aspects of the evolution that will take place between the C6 and C7.
For one, comparing profile shots of this prototype with the C6, it's apparent that the front wheels have moved farther forward, increasing the dash-to-axle ratio and likely the wheelbase. The rear end also appears to be larger, with a higher deck lid and slightly longer overhang. We also noticed that this prototype's side mirrors are a different shape than the C6's, and its dual tailpipes are positioned closer together to form a perfectly spaced line of four pipes.
There's no evidence of a split rear window and a mid-engine layout is clearly not in the cards. These photos should put those wild rumors to rest, but what's under the hood and how the interior has been improved are still unknowns.
General Motors has something festive planned for the 60th anniversary of its Chevrolet Corvette. The automaker will mark the occasion with a special edition 2013 Corvette 427 Convertible, complete with hardware borrowed from the mighty Corvette Z06. Under the hood, a 427-cubic-inch LS7 V8 produces 505 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque, making this the most powerful Corvette Convertible ever produced. The 60th Anniversary Corvette will also benefit from the same rear axle as the Z06, and magnetic ride control is standard as well.
The special edition convertible will come with 19-inch wheels up front 20-inch rollers in the rear, both wrapped in Micheline PS2 tires. A six-speed manual transmission is the only gearbox option, though buyers will be able to chose from the full gamut of available interior and exterior colors. General Motors says the vehicle will also benefit from a range of carbon fiber components, including a raised hood, fenders and floor panels. A CFZ carbon-fiber front splitter and rocker panels are also available at an extra cost.
All told, the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427 Convertible tips the scales at 3,355 pounds. Combined with its lofty power figures, the droptop should be capable of doing the 0-60 mph dash in 3.8 seconds on its way to an 11.8-second quarter mile and a top speed of over 190 mph. The very first model will be auctioned off for charity at the upcoming Barrett-Jackson classic car auction. Hit the jump for the full press blast.
General Motors has something festive planned for the 60th anniversary of its Chevrolet Corvette. The automaker will mark the occasion with a special edition 2013 Corvette 427 Convertible, complete with hardware borrowed from the mighty Corvette Z06. Under the hood, a 427-cubic-inch LS7 V8 produces 505 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque, making this the most powerful Corvette Convertible ever produced. The 60th Anniversary Corvette will also benefit from the same rear axle as the Z06, and magnetic ride control is standard as well.
The special edition convertible will come with 19-inch wheels up front 20-inch rollers in the rear, both wrapped in Micheline PS2 tires. A six-speed manual transmission is the only gearbox option, though buyers will be able to chose from the full gamut of available interior and exterior colors. General Motors says the vehicle will also benefit from a range of carbon fiber components, including a raised hood, fenders and floor panels. A CFZ carbon-fiber front splitter and rocker panels are also available at an extra cost.
All told, the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427 Convertible tips the scales at 3,355 pounds. Combined with its lofty power figures, the droptop should be capable of doing the 0-60 mph dash in 3.8 seconds on its way to an 11.8-second quarter mile and a top speed of over 190 mph. The very first model will be auctioned off for charity at the upcoming Barrett-Jackson classic car auction. Hit the jump for the full press blast.
Any modern performance car worth buying puts just as much emphasis on stopping as it does on going. After all, what's the point in being able to hit ludicrous speed if you can't manage to get it back down without heading fascia-first into an unmovable object?
So, what's a good stopping distance? According to the crew at Motor Trend, 100 feet from 60 miles per hour is a pretty good starting point. And the best of the best do the deed in significantly less. How's about 93 feet, recorded by both the 2011 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon Edition and the 2008 Ferrari 430 Scuderia.
There's a smattering more Corvettes and Ferraris in the under-100-feet club, plus a couple Audis, Porsches and Vipers, along with a lone Lamborghini and the 2011 Nissan GT-R. If you're willing to allow non-DOT-approved tires, a prototype Lexus LFA managed to halt from 60 in 94 feet.
Speaking of tires, it seems that the best stopping treads are the Michelin Pilot Sport Cups, which are joined on the list by the Pirelli Pzero Corsas and a couple sets of Bridegstone Potenzas.
We've got to hand it to the Corvette Z06 for topping the list, especially since it's one of the least expensive vehicles in the under-100 club.
Now more than ever, there's a good chance a camera is watching you when you're doing something stupid. Whether it's dumping your Bugatti Veyron in a Texas marsh or crashing your Chevrolet Corvette during an impromptu street race, you may have to answer the unblinking eye of YouTube the next time things go squirrely behind the wheel.
Police in Montgomery County, Texas have reopened an investigation into a crash involving two Chevrolet Corvette drivers on Thanksgiving day. Officers on the scene originally called the crash an accident but decided to take a second look after a video of the two sports cars racing from light to light surfaced on the web.
As of right now, the clip has garnered more than 2.3 million views since it was uploaded on November 24. While no charges have been filed as of yet, there's a good chance that these drivers may get slapped with a street racing offense in the coming days. Remember kids, keep it on the track and off the streets. Hit the jump to watch the video again.
If you saw a C5 Corvette pulled up next to a C6 Corvette at a stop light, would you assume that a drag race would follow? And which vehicle would win? We'd have our money on the C6 Vette, but then again, the C5 owner may have a bit extra under the hood.
While on his way home from picking up the family's Thanksgiving turkey last week, one astute driver noticed just such a scenario play out in front of his eyes, and he was smart enough to press the record button on his camera phone. Unfortunately, the Vette owners weren't smart enough to know that public drag racing is always a bad idea, even on the day before Thanksgiving.
As it turns out, the C5 did have the juice to keep up with the C6, but it didn't have very good traction. Follow the jump to watch a Bowtie battle for the ages turn into one very expensive insurance claim. With joggers, bikers and kids within a stone's throw of the road, this was a really stupid move, and the drivers are lucky only their cars - and egos - were damaged.
NOTE:There is some swearing in the video, so you may want to turn down the volume.
